Counseling assists the child, parents and the family
There are many services that will serve autistic children well. Parents of autistic children understand that they need to invest in these services to help their child grow, learn, and develop.
Our counseling services not only assist the child, but they also serve parents and other family members. We provide various services at our Norwell, Massachusetts, center in a warm, welcoming therapy room. Each child receives individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) from a licensed social worker. What does CBT help? We’ll tell you. It addresses the needs of children with diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Communication deficits, Depression, Executive Functioning Deficits or other social/emotional needs. It’s a problem-focused, short-term therapy approach.
CBT is a highly collaborative service. The therapist and child will come together to understand the behavior issues the child is experiencing. They’ll strategize to create a plan for changing these behaviors. This type of counseling service isn’t focused on talking out the problems but instead doing something about the behavioral issues. For example, if your child is having trouble with intrusive thoughts, the therapist will provide techniques to modify thoughts and give examples of different responses. Allowing the child to recognize the behavior teaches them to understand how it affects others and how to deal with it.
Our CBT based services focus on a variety of life skills with a goal to achieve the greatest possible client outcomes
The strategies are taught and implemented to provide the children with the essential skills to navigate their social world. This includes school, the playground, and interactions with parents, siblings, and other family members. Cognitive behavioral therapy for children is primarily communication based and requires the child to be aware of thoughts and feelings.
Examples of these skills include:
- increasing social awareness
- practicing self-regulation
- making responsible decisions
- engaging in problem solving skills
- practicing mindfulness and strategies to manage anxiety
- and most importantly, building self-confidence!
